With all this time for the Tigers to wait again for the start of the World Series, coming off a sweep of the Yankees, why shouldn't the fans of Detroit look back on that season of 2003 and have a good laugh? A 43-119 finish was enough to be included in the new book, "You Stink! Terrible Teams and Pathetic Players," where authors Eric Wittenberg and Michael Aubrecht credited those "Scaredy Cats" as having one of the worst 15 seasons in MLB history. Dmitri Young, the former Rio Mesa High of Oxnard star, was on that team - and had a .297 average with 29 homers and 85 RBIs. "A few years down the road, I can look back and say this was the beginning of a dynasty," Young said at the end of that year. "This was the beginning of the rebuilding process. We started from scratch with flour, eggs and sugar." Unfortunately, with his personal live in disarray, Young was cut loose from the Tigers' roster late in the 2006 season before they made an unexpected playoff run that found them in the World Series - yes, just three years after his statement. Last week, younger brother Delmon Young was the batter whipping the Tigers' fans into a frenzy. The ALDS MVP sported a .353 batting average, with two homers and six RBIs. This Young also had his personal problems. Consider that back in April, the former Camarillo High star and MLB No. 1 overall draft pick in 2003 was suspended seven days without pay by the league for an altercation and arrest outside the team hotel after a night of drinking. The Tigers stood by him and it has paid off. Batting behind Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder in the potent Detroit lineup, Young, primarily as the DH, hit 18 homers with 74 RBIs. "It was family and true friends who stepped up when I was at my lowest," Dmitri, 12 years older than the 27-year-old Delmon, told the Detroit News last week. "And for Del, it was the same thing. But he just went right back into the fire. It didn't kill him, so it made him stronger. Anyone that's dealt with any type of adversity, this is what happens when you don't quit. And look what happened. Del was the 'Yankee Killer.' Me being a big brother, am I proud? Extremely, extremely proud." Dmitri says he plans to be at every game of the upcoming World Series.

That will start Wednesday either in St. Louis or San Francisco, after the Giants extended the NLCS to a seventh game and could be on the verge of another impressive comeback. A Tigers-Cardinals meeting would be a rematch of the 2006 World Series - St. Louis won that one in five. The Tigers had a week layoff between the start of that series after sweeping Oakland in the ALCS. "I do think the lull between our playoff and the World Series did work against us in 2006," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "All of a sudden, our emotion went from so high to just a blah, looking at each other for six days of staring at each other with really no action. That's hard."

BEST OF THE REST

NBA EXHIBITION

LAKERS vs. CLIPPERS

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Staples Center, TWC SportsNet, Prime

The exhibitionists for either side could turn this into something more than just another practice game. Let's be careful out there, guys. The real first meeting isn't until early November. The Lakers also try to stay in tune by playing this week against Sacramento at Valley View Casino in San Diego (7 p.m. Thursday, TWC SportsNet). The Clippers have appearances against Golden State at Staples Center (7:30 p.m. today) and at Denver (7 p.m. Thursday, TNT) before the real deal.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

USC at ARIZONA

12:30 p.m. Saturday, Ch. 7

Last year at the Coliseum, Matt Barkley registered a school-record 468 yards passing and connected on two of his four scores with Robert Woods (255 yards) in a wild 48-41 win. Nick Foles (41 for 53, 425 yards) threw his fourth TD of the game with a minute left to pull the Wildcats one touchdown away. Fifth-year senior Matt Scott, from Corona Centennial, has taken over for Foles this season and in a 52-17 win over Washington on Saturday night, he threw for four TDs. USC has won nine of its past 10 meetings against the Wildcats and haven't lost in Tuscon since 1999.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

UCLA at ARIZONA STATE

Noon Saturday, FX

The Bruins' 29-28 win over the then-20 th-ranked Sun Devils last season at the Rose Bowl came only after freshman Alex Garoutte's 46-yard field goal try at time ran out fluttered and fell short. If it comes up again, Garoutte has hit only six of 10 field goal tries this season, with a long of 43 and a miss at 51 already. His miss at 43 last week against Oregon could have given his team an early lead against the Ducks, who ended up running away with a 43-21 victory that only looked closer because of two ASU TDs in the fourth quarter. Sun Devils QB Taylor Kelly is eighth in the country with a 168.6 passing rating.

MLS

GALAXY vs. SEATTLE

6 p.m. Sunday, Home Depot Center, ESPN

The Galaxy's final game of the regular season comes three days after they have to journey to Suarez, Mexico, to play a CCL game against something called Isidro Metapan (7 p.m., Fox Soccer Ch. ).

NFL

WEEK 7

Detroit at Chicago, 5:30 p.m. today, ESPN

WEEK 8

Tampa Bay at Minnesota, 5:20 p.m. Thursday, NFL Network

San Diego at Cleveland, 10 a.m. Sunday, Ch. 2

New Orleans at Denver, 5:20 p.m. Sunday, Ch. 4

N.Y. Giants at Dallas, 1:25 p.m. Sunday, Ch. 11

Oakland at Kansas City, 1 p.m. Sunday

In the Bears' 37-13 win over the Lions last November, all heck seemed to break loose. Jay Cutler had his helmet ripped off by Ndamukong Suh. The Lions' Nate Burleson shoved the Bears' Tim Jennings out of bounds after an interception of a Matthew Stafford pass in the fourth quarter. While that was going on, Stafford grabbed D.J. Moore by the helmet and threw him to the ground, but Moore ended up getting ejected. And Devin Hester returned a punt 82 yards for a TD.

MOVIE

"CHASING MAVERICKS"

Opens citywide Friday

The life of Santa Cruz surfer Jay Moriarity is played out by actor Jonny Weston, chronicling his quest as a 15-year-old to conquer what's considered to be American's most dangerous wave, with help of local surf legend Frosty Hesson (Gerard Butler). Even if you're not into surfing, watch it for the cinematography. More info: LiveLikeJay.com.